As the long-running civil conflict dies down, lives are being rebuilt along with destroyed infrastructure

After seven years of bloodshed in the Syrian city of Aleppo, hard hit by fighting between government forces and insurgents, finding jobs to restore family livelihoods has become a priority.

Sister Annie Demerjian previously focused on getting emergency food and other supplies to those in need as dwellings were bombed and basic services, such as water and power, were cut.

However, the Catholic News Service reports that the current challenge is to help people begin to resume more normal lives.

"We are now living with the consequences of years of civil war,” Sister Demerjian said.

"Before, we were living day by day or minute by minute."

She and three other Sisters of Jesus and Mary are helping people to develop job skills as well as to find jobs.

Sister Demerjian, 52, has been visiting Washington in the United States where she is scheduled to speak about the enormous suffering of people in the Syrian region.

"Every part of my country has a story to tell, a story that reveals wounds that only time and God's mercy can heal," she said.

She cited horrific violence including many people losing limbs due to explosions.

Catholic News Service reported that earlier this year, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 511,000 people had been killed since fighting began in Syria in March 2011.

And the United Nations has said that 5.6 million Syrians had left as refugees while an estimated 6.6 million have been internally displaced.

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